Kalon Gervin is a four-star prospect, according to the 247Sports Composite. He picked MSU over Oregon, after decommitting from Notre Dame. He is 5-11, 180 pounds.
Brandon Folsom, Special to the Detroit Free Press

Christian Jackson is a three-star cornerback from Marietta (Ga.) Lassiter. Jackson is listed at 6-feet-1 and 183 pounds and also reportedly had scholarship offers from Michigan, Virginia Tech and West Virginia, among others.
Courtesy of Lassiter High

Trenton Gillison is a four-star tight end from Pickerington (Ohio) Central. He's listed at 6-5 and 220 pounds and also reportedly had scholarship offers from Michigan, Mississippi, Tennessee and Wisconsin, among others.
Pickerington Central High

EAST LANSING – There wasn't a hint of drama in Michigan State football's first early signing day.

Seven of the 20 players MSU signed sent their letters of intent in during the first half hour after Wednesday’s period opened at 7 a.m. The Spartans had 12 prospects signed in an hour and all but two West Coast recruits by 9:30.

When California defensive end Parks Gissinger and Las Vegas offensive lineman Jacob Isaia formalized their commitments, coach Mark Dantonio and his staff had every letter of intent in hand by 10:25 a.m.

An early end to an early signing period with a class that mostly committed early to MSU.

“It's a class that's maintained its commitment,” MSU coach Mark Dantonio said. “With early signing this year, it's a little bit different situation. But I think it benefited Michigan State, and it benefited our class. I think it's important to recognize they believed in us from the start.”

MSU's class was rated No. 24 nationally and fifth in the Big Ten on Wednesday, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings.

“The difference between a three-star, four-star, five-star, there's a little extra, a little bit more development,” Dantonio said. “You can't say that Darqueze Dennard wasn't a five-star player — he came here as a two-star. Or Le'Veon Bell isn't a five-star player. You can't say that. Or Kirk Cousins.

“It's up to them what they do when they get here. That's what's exciting about today.”

Dantonio said seven of the signees will enroll early, and MSU will not add anyone else in the final two days of the early period that runs through Friday. He and his staff plan to turn most of their attention toward the 2019 recruiting classes and beyond, though there remain a few open spots and needs for next year.

“For example, if a kid didn’t sign with us today that was committed,” co-offensive coordinator Dave Warner said, “you weren’t committed. I mean, there’s no reason for them not to sign.”

The Spartans are still looking to add defensive linemen to the class before the February signing period, Dantonio said, adding, “If you are out there listening, defensive lineman would be a great, great find right now.”

Co-defensive coordinator Harlon Barnett explained MSU could add up to four more players “at the maximum.” January will allow the coaches to find players at specific positions of need who did not sign.

“It’s a combination of focusing on that one position, as well as getting a jump-start on the next class,” Barnett said.

Three-star defensive tackle Dashaun Mallory,of Bolingbrook, Ill., and four-star wide receiver Tommy Bush of Schertz, Texas, are among the prospects MSU still is targeting for this class.

The Spartans are the favorite to land Mallory, according to 247Sports.com. The 6-foot-3, 260-pound standout also is considering Toledo.

Bush — a 6-5, 191-pound wideout reportedly considering MSU, Georgia, Baylor, Nebraska and Oklahoma — visited East Lansing on Nov. 4, but his most recent visit was to Georgia.

Dantonio and his assistants expressed their appreciation for the early signing period, which was adopted by the NCAA in April. The biggest positive, most said, was not feeling like they had to “babysit” committed players between now and the second signing period, which begins Feb. 7.

“The nice thing is now we can further develop these relationships with these kids we know are all-in,” said offensive line coach Mark Staten, also MSU’s recruiting coordinator. “And we can maybe say, ‘Here is what we’re trying to do,’ and not thinking that (another) school is going to come in and try to take them.”

The Spartans' class includes nine players from talent-rich Ohio. MSU also grabbed six players from Michigan, two from Georgia and one from California, Nevada and Pennsylvania.

“Now,” Dantonio said, “what we have to do is develop them. That's now. We've done a nice job developing our players here. We're represented in the NFL, Big Ten championships. It's not just because we're good coaches, but because we've had good players here.”

The 19th-ranked Spartans leave Friday for their Dec. 28 Holiday Bowl matchup with Washington State (9 p.m./Fox Sports 1). MSU and the Cougars are both 9-3, and it is Dantonio’s 10th bowl game in 11 seasons with the Spartans.

It also is a chance for MSU to win 10 games for the sixth time under Dantonio, just one year removed from missing the postseason and going 3-9.

“I think due to our long-standing basically foundation of what we've been able to accomplish prior, to the culture here, they stayed with us,” Dantonio said. “I appreciate very, very much their trust in us as people and their trust in the overall health of this program.”

Roster notes

Defensive end Robert Bowers has “separated from the program," Dantonio said.

Bowers left MSU after its Nov. 11 loss at Ohio State, Dantonio said, though the Columbus, Ohio, native remained on the roster for the Spartans’ final regular season game at Rutgers on Nov. 25. Bowers had just two tackles in eight games this season.

Dantonio also said true freshman linebacker Lashawn Paulino-Bell and redshirt freshman Austin Andrews are suspended for the Holiday Bowl. He said the decision was not academically related.